PUMA Appoints Steve Cecchini as Senior Vice President Sports Marketing to Lead Global Athlete, Team and Federation Partnerships

PUMA Appoints Steve Cecchini as Senior Vice President Sports Marketing to Lead Global Athlete, Team and Federation Partnerships

(IN BRIEF) PUMA has appointed Steve Cecchini as Senior Vice President Sports Marketing, effective 1 October 2026, with responsibility for developing the company’s global sports marketing organization and managing strategic relationships with athletes, teams and federations. Cecchini will report directly to CEO Arthur Hoeld and will support PUMA’s ambition to increase visibility for its performance products and strengthen its position as a top-three global sports brand. He joins PUMA from Nike, where he most recently served as General Manager Global Football Clubs, Federations, Leagues and Partnerships, overseeing complex long-term relationships as well as product, marketing and marketplace strategy. Cecchini previously held strategy and business development roles at Nike and PVH Corp. PUMA said sports partnerships remain central to its brand identity and its ability to create stories that connect with consumers worldwide. Cecchini said his focus will be on making strategic investments aligned with the brand while strengthening PUMA’s role as a partner to leading athletes, clubs and federations.

(PRESS RELEASE) HERZOGENAURACH, 9-Sep-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — PUMA has appointed Steve Cecchini as its new Senior Vice President Sports Marketing, effective 1 October 2026, strengthening the company’s global leadership team as it seeks to expand the impact of its athlete, team and federation partnerships.

Cecchini will report directly to PUMA CEO Arthur Hoeld and will be responsible for further developing the company’s global Sports Marketing organization, including the strategic management of partnerships that align with PUMA’s brand identity and commercial ambitions.

The appointment supports PUMA’s wider objective of increasing the visibility of its performance products and strengthening its position among the world’s leading sports brands.

Cecchini to lead PUMA’s global sports marketing strategy

In his new position, Cecchini will oversee the continued development of PUMA’s Sports Marketing organization and its relationships with athletes, clubs, teams, leagues, federations and other sporting partners.

PUMA views these partnerships as an important element of its global brand strategy, providing opportunities to connect its performance products with sporting achievements, personalities and stories that resonate with consumers in markets around the world.

The company said Cecchini will focus on identifying and managing partnerships that reinforce PUMA’s identity while ensuring that sports marketing investments support both brand visibility and long-term strategic objectives.

Athlete and federation partnerships central to PUMA brand strategy

Arthur Hoeld, CEO of PUMA, said relationships with athletes, teams and federations are fundamental to the company’s identity.

He said Cecchini brings the leadership and industry experience required to manage the company’s Sports Marketing portfolio proactively and strategically.

Hoeld added that Cecchini will support PUMA’s ambition to generate greater visibility for the brand and its performance products while helping position the company as a top-three global sports brand.

Cecchini joins PUMA after senior global role at Nike

Cecchini joins PUMA from Nike, where he most recently served as General Manager Global Football Clubs, Federations, Leagues and Partnerships.

In that position, he was responsible for managing complex, long-term sports partnerships while developing and implementing product, marketing and marketplace strategies for the business.

His experience includes working across major football relationships and managing partnerships involving clubs, federations and leagues on a global basis.

Before his most recent position, Cecchini held several roles in strategy and business development at Nike and PVH Corp.

His background provides PUMA with experience spanning sports partnerships, brand strategy, business development, product planning and commercial marketplace execution.

Appointment supports PUMA’s broader sports brand ambitions

PUMA said sports marketing plays a central role in connecting its products with consumers and strengthening the company’s relevance across key sporting categories.

Through partnerships with athletes, teams and federations, the company aims to create stories and sporting moments that build brand recognition and demonstrate the performance credentials of its products.

Cecchini’s responsibilities will include ensuring that partnership investments are strategically aligned with PUMA’s brand positioning and provide opportunities to enhance the company’s presence across global sports markets.

Cecchini sees opportunity to build on PUMA’s sporting heritage

Steve Cecchini, incoming Senior Vice President Sports Marketing at PUMA, said the company’s longstanding history of supporting leading athletes provides a strong foundation for the next phase of its sports marketing strategy.

He described the new position as an opportunity to help write the next chapter of PUMA’s sporting legacy.

Cecchini said his priority will be to make strategic investments that closely match the brand while ensuring PUMA provides strong support to athletes, clubs and federations around the world.

He added that the company wants to position itself as an outstanding partner for sporting organizations and individual athletes across its global portfolio.

Leadership appointment takes effect in October 2026

Cecchini will formally take up the Senior Vice President Sports Marketing position on 1 October 2026 and will report directly to Arthur Hoeld.

The appointment places responsibility for PUMA’s global sports partnership strategy under an executive with extensive experience managing large-scale commercial relationships and developing integrated product, marketing and marketplace strategies.

The move forms part of PUMA’s efforts to strengthen its global sports marketing capabilities and increase the impact of its partnerships across performance sport. 

PUMA is one of the world’s leading sports brands, designing, developing, and selling footwear, apparel and accessories. Founded in 1948, PUMA helps the world’s best athletes and teams perform at their best with its innovative products. Known for its iconic cat logo and the Formstrip, the company offers performance products in categories such as Football, Running and Training. Its Sportstyle collections are rooted in sports and inspire consumers by celebrating sports culture. With its long history and strong heritage, PUMA is proud of having one of the strongest archives in the industry, with many iconic products such as the Suede and the Speedcat. The PUMA Group owns the brands PUMA, Cobra Golf and stichd. The company distributes its products in over 120 countries, employs about 20,000 people and is headquartered in Herzogenaurach/Germany. For more information, please visit https://about.puma.com.

Media Contact:

Anne Putz
Senior Director Corporate Communications
anne.putz@puma.com

SOURCE: PUMA